After Pathankot and Uri, Centre OKs smart fence to stop Pakistan terror export

[JANASENA]

Neeraj Chauhan| TNN | Sep 27, 2016, 01.24 AM IST
 
 

HIGHLIGHTS
The government has given in-principle approval to the up-gradation of technology
The approval for the recommendations comes days after a similar terror strike in Uri
Apart from smart fencing, the committee has recommended the use of water, electronic as well as underground sensors, besides camera surveillance
 
BSF personnel patrol along the India and Pakistan International Border. (PTI photo)BSF personnel patrol along the India and Pakistan International Border. (PTI photo)
NEW DELHI: The government has given in-principle approval to the recommendations of a committee that stressed the need of technology, among other measures, to strengthen security along India's 3,323km border with Pakistan.

Headed by former Union home secretary Madhukar Gupta, the committee was set up by the ministry of home affairs in April 2016 in the wake of the Pathankot attackthree months earlier. The approval for the recommendations, which also focus on addressing cross-border terrorism, comes days after a similar terror strike in Uri.

India's border with Pakistan runs through four states, Jammu & Kashmir (1,225km, including the Line of Control), Rajasthan (1,037km), Punjab (553km) and Gujarat (508km).

The panel has urged a grid-based system along the border, wherein, at vulnerable stretches, the Army's and the BSF's ground troops would be assisted by hi-tech equipment — including satellites for surveillance — as well as the intelligence agencies and the police forces of the four states. Whenever an instance of infiltration is reported, a particular component of this grid would respond according to its capability and alert the others.

Home minister Rajnath Singh, at a meeting attended by Gupta, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, the Intelligence Bureau and the Research & Analysis Wing chiefs, and home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, among other senior officials, said the grid-based security system should be implemented as soon as possible.

The suggestions made by the comittee also include optimised force deployment. It has suggested that ground forces be deployed in large numbers in areas vulnerable to infiltration, saying that smart fencing could do the job elsewhere. This would reduce the burden on foot soldiers. "Where there is a need to deploy 100 men together, they should be placed there, and where there is no need of more than two persons, there the deployment should be reduced," said a senior official.

Apart from smart fencing, the committee has recommended the use of water, electronic as well as underground sensors, besides camera surveillance. The use of foliage penetrating radars has also been suggested.

In keeping with the recommendations, there are also plans to build access roads for forces instead of creating unnecessary infrastructure.

Gupta has also recommended that intelligence play a major role in border management, and that Multi Agency Centre (MAC) and Subsidiary Multi Agency Centres (SMACs) also assist in this